Sandusky lawyer plans to testify as witness at appeal

June 23, 2012: Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is shown in a booking photo. (AP/Centre County Correctional Facility)
(AP2011)

BELLEFONTE, Pa. – Former Penn State coach and convicted sex offender Jerry Sandusky's defense lawyer says he will not represent Sandusky in his appeal process, as he intends to testify as witness to ineffective counsel appeal.

Joe Amendola confirmed to FoxNews.com Monday he plans to be a witness in the appeal.

Amendola's statement comes as one report claims the bond between Sandusky and his attorney Amendola may not have been as close as was believed, with their union almost not making it to trial.

Amendola and his co-counsel Karl Rominger both asked to resign from the case just as jury selection began, MyFoxPhilly reported.

Their motion was denied by the judge. Last Friday, Amendola said in an interview following the verdict that he felt he had developed a friendly bond with Sandusky.

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The two argued time and time again they did not have enough time to prepare for the case. Another issue centered around a scheduling conflict with a defense team member and the need to read documents from the grand jury investigation.

In a shocking statement before the verdict Friday, Amendola said he would "die of a heart attack" if his client were acquitted of all charges.

"That's just crazy," said Douglas Burns, a defense lawyer with 26 years in the courtroom. "A lawyer has got to keep his cards close to his vest and not make comments like that."

Hours after the football coach's conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse, Amendola praised the prosecution for handling the case in an "exemplary manner" and said he didn't "have any problem with the jury's verdict."

Reports also emerged on Sunday that Sandusky — while jailed at the Centre County Correctional Facility in December — was harassed by other inmates who serenaded the disgraced coach with a famous line from Pink Floyd’s "The Wall."

"At night, we were singing 'Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone,'" a 22-year-old inmate told The Daily, adding that everyone knew who Sandusky was because inmates had access to television and newspapers.